Lightning-conductor.



M. G. MITCHELL.

LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR.

APPLICATION FILED S1219, 1911.

1,129,358.A Patented 11611.23, 1915.

dvqw'g? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN Gr. MITCHELL, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATIONAL-STANDARD COMPANY, OF NILES, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATIGN OF MICHIGAN.

LIGHTNING-CONDUCTOR.

Application led September 9, 1911.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, MELVIN G. MITCHELL, a resident of South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Conductors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to lightning-conductors, adapted to be connected to buildings to prevent them from being damaged or struck by lightning.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved lightning-conductor of high eficiency and conductivity, which is organized to prevent excessive rise in temperature when subjected to heavy currents of high frequency, such as those to which a lightning-conductor is subjected to in use.

By experiments and comparative tests, it has been determined that a conductor consisting of a cable organized or constituted of a number of strands of wire braided together so that there will be spaces between the strands, or suoli as results from an openwork weave, the wires will be exposed to the air to promote circulation, and consequently the rise in temperature, particularlv that resulting from heavy current of high frequency, will be materially less than that which results in a solid cable or tape, and the invention designs to provide an improved lightning-conductor in which this characteristic is utilized to increase the eiiiciency and conductivity of the lightning-conductor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved distributer point and means for conveniently attaching the same to a building and to the lightning-conductor.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings; Figure l is a plan of an improved conductor and distributerpoints, the same being connected to an inclined roof of a building. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective of a portion of the distributerpoint. Fig. e is a perspective of the attaching-clip or bracket before it has been bent to fit against the conductor. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the same after it has been Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 648,462.

bent. Fig. 6 is a detail of a portion of the conductor.

The conductor A is formed of a number of wires a, which are braided together with the wires separated from one another laterally, so as to leave air or circulating spaces o between the wires and through the conductor. The general form of the conductor is fiat, to extend over a comparatively wide area and the wires are formed of a metal, such as copper, which has a high efficiency in conducting electrical energy. In practice, it has been discovered that in a conductor thus organized of wires which are separated from one another and with air spaces between them, circulation is promoted, which renders the conductor as an entity of high efficiency and conductivity for heavy current of high frequency and will prevent marked rise in temperature as compared with a solid conductor, because of the greater exposed surfaces of the wire of the strands whereof the conductor is organized.

Distributer-points B are connected to the conductor at suitable intervals and each comprises a hollowed tapered point b, a tubular body-portion o', and a tubular base-portion o2 all connected together, body-portion b being extended into the lower tapered portion and into the tubular of. Base-portion o2 is formed of a tubular piece of metal, the lower portion of which is flattened out as at Z13 and this flat portion is perforated at 795, and is bent into angular shape and comprises a bottom-portion b4 and a tongue o for convenience in connecting the point to the conductor A and attaching it to a building. A clip or bracket C is formed of a strip of metal bent to form a bottom c, a side c and a top c2 between which the conductor A and a flat portion o3 of the distributerpoint is laid. The bottom or top of clip or bracket C are perforated as at c3. The bottom-portion b4 of the point is laid upon the conductor, the top tongue 02 of clip C is then bent over the bottom-portion b4, and tongue 5G of the distributor-point is bent over the top of said clip. The distributer-point clip C and the conductor are all secured together and to the building by nails b driven through the tongue b, the top-tongue of the clip o2, conductor A, and bottom c of the clip. This device serves as simple means for connecting the distributer-point to the conductor and for securing the distributerpoint and conductor to a building.

The manner of attachment thus far described is that employed When a point is attached to a conductor extending upwardly on an inclined roof or surface. By flexing the Hattened portion V713 about the point where it enters clip C, the distributer may be readily adjusted so that it Will be correctly positioned With respect to a vertical line. This particular flattened feature of the distributer point provides a construction which is comparatively rigid and serves to hold the point in its correct position When so adjusted, and Which may be readily adjusted according to the angle of the structure to which it is secured. It also provides convenient means of attachment to a building and by driving nails or screws through the base of the distributer and clip, as described, the necessary contact between the point and the conductor Will be established.

-It Will be understood that the distributerpoints are formeel of suitable conducting material, such as copper or copper alloy, which permits the face portion to be bent or adjusted as desired and provides a Wide contact surface for engaging a flat conductor. In applying the connections, the top or clip C may be flexed so as to leave an opening through which the conductor A and flattened portion of the distributer may be laid into the channel in the bracket or clip so the conductor may be secured conveniently at any desired points. The clip C is formed of material which can be flexed and is a conductor such as copper.

When the distributer-point is to be connected to a laterally extending portion of the conductor as indicated at the right hand of Figs. l and 2, the flattened U-shaped portion of the distiibuter-point may be placed around the conductor and the tongue b bent over the top of the conductor, and nails driven through the portions of the distributer above and below' the conductor, and through the latter, so that the attened portions Will be securely attached to the building and connected to the conductor, and the fiat portions of the base ofl the distributer will be disposed so that the distributer-point -may be flexed laterally to bring the point in truly vertical position. The conductor A may be secured to the building by metallic strips el Where necessary.

The point is tubular and has a flattened base which provides a comparatively rigid conductor which permits adjustment of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

point to a truly vertical position, and facilitates connection to the conductor-cable. The attaching-means is simple in construction and serves to firmly connect the conductor and base of the distributer-point together and to secure them to a structure or building.

T he invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified by the skilled mechanic Within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit and Scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In lightning conductors, the combination of a conductor, a distributer point having a flattened and bendable base portion, said bent portion extended into contact With one side of said conductor and again bent into a tongue to overlie said contact portion, and securing means passing directly through said conductor, base portion and tongue to secure said conductor and base portion together and to a support.

2. In lightning-concluctors, the combination of a distributer-point comprising a fiat flexible base portion, a substantially flat conductor, and a clip through which the conductor and base portions are extended, said clip having a flexible tongue adapted to be folded over said base portion for securing the base-portion and conductor together.

In lightning-conductors, the combination of a distributor-point having a base portion, a conductor in contact with said base-portion, a clip having a channel therein and a flexible portion adapted to be bent into position to hold the said base-portion and conductor in contact, and means for securing the clip, base-portion and the conductor to a structure.

a. In lightning-conductors, the combination of a distributer-point having a base portion, with a tongue thereon, a conductor in contact with said base-portion, a clip having a channel therein and a flexible portion adapted to be bent into position to hold said base-portion and conductor in contact, the tongue on said base portion being foldable over the flexible portion of the clip, and means for securing the clip, base-portion. and the conductor to a structure.

MELVIN G. MTCHELL.

Witnesses Gro. L. FAURoTn, A. l/V. Son'roini.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

